Review: United First Class 777 London To Los Angeles

I completely agree about US flight attendants. I've had flights ruined by crews with attitude. I stick with foreign carriers when I can. Continued thanks for your great work!

I fly United a lot and it's been ages since I've been on a flight for which the pilots turned on Channel 9....Too bad, because it is always fun. Maybe with the new management the pilots will be more of a mind to turn it back on--it always struck me that many pilots were trying to make kind of a sullen statement by refusing to play it (though I have also heard speculation that some regard it, dubiously in my view, as a security hazard.)

United NEEDS to be phasing out "First Class." Their product's a sad joke compared to EY's "Apartment Class"!

You have an error in the flight info box, the flights lands same day and not +1

Regarding plastic 'glassware' I asked an F/A about this once and she said it is an FAA regulation, although I was not able to find any documentation backing that up

Also regarding your comment on the differences on Polaris to F, I find it interesting that service is different on CO metal and UA metal (with CO having no first class) whereon UA in business class your meal is served on a tray whereas on CO it is a set table, I expect Polaris to be better than CO business and similar to the service you received in F.

I flew GlobalFirst to and from Tokyo (NRT and HND) and was pleasantly surprised by the service. Maybe my expectations were just so low. The sushi cart was a nice touch as well.

After they switch to Polaris, there will almost surely be a big step up in the soft product (as a United Global Services flier, I can tell you that is clearing a currently rather low bar), but the hard product will likely be a somewhat mixed result.

It will plainly be a major improvement from their current BusinessFirst (with eight across seating on some 777s) but likely will be a marginal loss compared to the spacious seat you experienced in GlobalFirst.

On balance, I welcome the change since United's premium product had become steadily less competitive in recent years.

@Brad B -- since Delta serves pre-departure drinks on international flights in glassware, I suspect it's not an FAA rule 🙂 ... the tendency of some FAs to claim any and everything is an FAA rule is quite something.

And I'm not sure about the argument that UA doesn't publish a wine list because "it's changing all the time"?! Did one of the FAs say that? Surely UA can get their caterers to provide a specific wine on a consistent basis. It seems like they care so little (and probably spend so little) on their wine, they don't even think it's worth writing down.

I'm in LAX lounge now after flying from Chicago/frequent flier weekend and was saying to myself - wow not 1 smile of this trip and when I said have a nice day - both didn't say anything back

Your mention of the shoulder belt reminded me of something I've been curious about. I've noticed that many premium have a small airbag on one of the seat belt straps. Yes that's what that padding is -- took me a long time to appreciate that. Other seats have a shoulder strap. In fact IIRC the backward facing seats in the remodeled AA777-200 and the 787-200 look like they have a shoulder belt while the forward ones don't. (could be the other way around but the important point is the two sets of seats differ).

Can someone explain the different types of seat belts and when each might be used?

Thanks
Neil

The menu and food looks better than AA Intl J class. The recent AA celebrity chef menus and food have been terrible IMO. I've been lucky with flight crews in premium cabins with no real complaints. The cranky ones seem always to be in economy in my experience.

@Neil,
I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that all the the seats have to be crash tested with crash test dummies. Some seats fail the test unless they have the airbag or the shoulder belt and this is why they are provided. It also explains why there are variations within an aircraft type with both rear facing and forward facing.

@Lucky:
I've just finished binge reading this series of reports (very interesting trip), and something struck me as I was digesting your reports on service on Air Astana. I was struck by how upscale the food service looked -- an interesting set of choices on the menu, and the dinnerware was rather sophisticated looking rather than the hum-drum china you usually see. And the fact they served a full meal on a short domestic flight blew my mind.

I can understand how the ME3 and big Asian airlines put the US carriers to shame, but to see this happen with some degree of regularity with the smaller regional airlines halfway around the world amazes me. The US airlines ought to be totally embarrassed.

Neil

Hi @Neil,
The air bag or shoulder belt are to insure the pass of the HIC (Head Impact Criteria) ''HIC measures the likelihood of head injury resulting from an impact. Compliance with the HIC limit is demonstrated during a dynamic sled test that includes a 50 percent male-size test dummy, the seat, and any airplane structure that could be impacted by the occupant’s head.''

In the past the airbag was perceived by airlines to be a preferred choice by premium customers as the shoulder belt requires additional effort to put on, and reduces the p'premium' feel of the experience as it is more similar to car.

However due to increasingly more strict regulations and an effort to reduce the risks in the certification of the seat, the shoulder belt is becoming the standard for next generation business class seats. It also (in my opinion) is more comfortable and gives a greater sense of security, not to mention added benefits of the seat being able to be certified when in reclined positions, so the crew don't have to bug you to put your seat all the way up.

It's quite special, that United is serving the cheapest water you can get in French supermarkets. There was my LX Economy Water much better (Rhäzünser from Switzerland)

Took this exact flight in 2012 with a terrible F crew. The hard product is slightly better now, but still has a ways to go.

I loathe United on any length of flight and actively avoid them. While I think I find Lucky's reviews of F products to be wildly inconsistent (good crews certainly can't make up for terrible hard/soft product, can they?), what strikes me as tacky are super small things, like the Coca-Cola co-branding on the cocktail napkin. I'm not in F to be advertised at. And the plastic pre-departure beverageware. It's cheap and classless and not on par with basically EVERY other F product outside the US. And the utensils being wrapped in a napkin and clipped together. That's not much of a step above what one receives in Y.

These are all small, nit-picky details that American carriers consistently get wrong and will always separate them from truly good (and always foreign) carriers. And whil I love Lucky's reviews, you can't praise SQ or CX for "setting a proper table" then turn around and *not* comment on how US carriers can't be bothered but say a crew "really made the flight." Sorry, Lucky...don't mean to bash ya.

I think that the IFE system was last generation (whenever they introduced the latest GF seat) because it looked different than what I had on a flight on a retrofitted (2-1-2 biz) 767 which you presumably also get on 787s and retrofitted 757s

Thanks, Lucky for posting an updated report on GlobalFIrst. While not my first choice to fly F, I've been wanting use my MP miles before they do away with GlobalFirst. The cabin is open, airy (like Qatar's F and AA's old F) with relatively few number of seats. So, it's the space, openness that I appreciate most. Of course, you had a good crew and the food wasn't too bad. Hey, what's not to like. After being out of the states for a while I enjoy flying aboard one of the US carriers back home, and some of the 'senior' or 'seasoned' cabin staff are pretty darn good, they at least know their stuff and are dependable in emergency situations.

From a hard product seating perspective it looks very similar to the CX Business product. I'm not sure I'd be happy if I was paying a full F fare.

I have never had the "listen to cockpit" function turned on except once when the captain's father (who happened to be sitting next to me) was on the flight. Otherwise it is always off. 🙁

That cioppino seems to be a standard Global First offering. I first had it 3 1/2 years ago on an SFO - ICN flight, and it IS excellent. I think it's the broth that keeps everything moist and fresh.

But I'm a soft product over hard product sort of flyer, which means I generally avoid all US carrier First cabins. If I'm paying or using points I want the works: glorious wines & spirits, caviar, pajamas....WiFi doesn't interest me a bit. I'm so looking forward to Polaris too. Can't wait for the first reviews to start coming online.

But thanks for your review here. UA does still have a lot great FA'S, so I'm glad you got some of the "good ones."

What is up with the terrible alcohol selection on US based carriers? J on an Asian carrier gets Johnny Walker Gold, or a nice quality single malt...but US airlines it's Dewars and Jim Beam Devil's Cut? Might as well just roll a keg of Coors Light around the cabin.

I flew United GlobalFirst a few times between US and Japan the last few years and I have been impressed with attention to details flight crews provided each time. It was not pretentious. It was efficient rather. Food and drinks were not extravagant, no Krug/Dom/Caviar, but it was sufficient for an award seat. Overall I have been impressed and happy with F United, I may not be if I had to actually purchase the ticket.

How did you get your ban from flying United lifted, did you pay them the amount you defrauded them?

Or was the Rolling Stone article wrong?

"He was banned from flying [United], he recalls the letter saying, unless he paid the company $4,755 — the amount it claimed as losses through Schlappig's techniques."

Sounds like another "worlds best business class". Also seems to serve "one of the best fish dishes in the air" like several of the other airlines you have reviewed recently.

I think it might be time for you to find a slightly more objective way of rating the food and service.

Thanks for the report - interesting read!
May I point out a small error - the (+1 day) in the summary at the top is erroneous

Lucky,
Great report. However, a lot of pictures are out of order.

Polaris? Why would anyone name a (business class) service product after a ballistic missile??? That's not only a poor, but a disgusting move of UA management ...

@ Andy: Polaris, designated Alpha Ursae Minoris, commonly the North Star or Pole Star.
The business class service wasn't named after the ballistic missile, but rather the missile was named after the northern pole star.

The way classes are going, all that seems to have happened is a shuffle around of names at the vast expense of running 4 classes on some aircraft.
Premium Economy > like Business of 15 years ago
Business > Like First of 15 years ago
First .. absent or has to have showers to be accepted as such, and is hard to justify unless using miles or a corporate account has bought blocks of seats.

Curious to see how class structure evolves over the next 15 years. Beds in premium?

So it's basically competing with BA for "Best Business Class masquerading as First Class".

I mean, I'm glad you enjoyed the food, but what you had was a business class meal. I mean, the plating was ok at best. And a lack of options among the appetizers? Just one appetizer, soup, and salad? Isn't that what Delta serves in it's business class? Kind of makes you wonder what United serves in business class...

Just had the pleasure to fly Global First CDG --> EWR and had an FA duo that sounds much like Schy and Silvia. They were outstanding, making me ponder my longstanding commitment to AA crossing the Pond. 🙂

One drawback was the lack of a curtain between F and the galley, so combined with chatter from the J FAs congregating in the forward galley, 1A and 1C were noisy. (2A was pilot rest.)

Maybe it's just me... I find myself usually skipping your pictures of other planes and things like the skies, or the gate... those seem less interesting and relevant. TPG's posts tend to be more succinct and he keeps only the most relevant images. Sometimes a post being too long prevent people from reading it.

This F product does look like business with a slightly wider seat.

The 405 Freeway is fairly clear-a bomb must have gone off, or an earthquake happened shortly before the picture.

To begin with I haven't seen the wine menu, The selection of Spirits is very cheap for a Global First Class, I think DAL and AA got something better to offer, however the seat is OK.

Good to see that the int'l F/J food hasn't changed for UA in 5+ years

oh boy! this is the worst first class cabin I've ever seen, it just like a shit

@LB: I get your point. The F/A 18 Hornet was also named after the animal called hornet. But why would you name a (premium) product after an arms system??? Any sensible marketing strategy would avoid names with negative connotations. And Polaris certainly has strong negative connotations.

You know, that bottled water is French. Not really first class water, it’s spring water, not mineral, one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest, that you can find in a supermarket in France. Perfectly drinkable, nevertheless.

Delta serves pre-departure beverages in domestic business class in glassware. No excuse for United on this one.

It's going to take awhile to get rid of all of Smisek's cost-cutting & deterioration of the passenger experience.

Overall, if I had a choice of a crappy plane vs. crappy attitude from the staff, I'll take the crappy plane.

I am glad that you enjoyed your trip with UAL. Their employees have had a difficult time of it and have only just started to recover from the "Jeff Smisek years." What makes your experience with this particular crew even more remarkable is that they were on the last leg of a week long trip. I know this because I have many friends in the LA area who fly for United. The LAX based FAs fly LAX-LHR-IAD-LHR-LAX. They were probably rather tired, but it's nice to know that they offered such great service. It is good to see things slowly changing for the better at UA.

I avoid GF when I can -- it's my money, not business travel! -- especially the 777, unless they offer significantly lower fares.

I like the seat, and if I fly UA, I book on the 747.

Infamously, the crew are hit and miss, sadly, often the latter.

The food is not horrendous, but certainly not what anyone should expect on a "real" First flight on an international airline with a significant footprint.

I was very disappointed when UA announced they would cut out GF altogether. Conversely, in my mind, I was hoping they would try to build a better product. But now, I have resigned myself to this decision ... and recognize it was the best way for them to move. UA is not a first-rate airline .... maybe they can make a decent go of Polaris.